Truckee plastic bag ban goes into effect June 1

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TRUCKEE, Calif. — Soon Truckee shoppers won’t hear the following question when checking out: “Would you like paper or plastic?”

Truckee’s plastic bag ban will go into effect June 1, prohibiting the distribution of most disposable plastic bags, while requiring retailers to charge a minimum 10-cent fee per recycled paper or reusable bag at check-out.

Stores will keep money generated by the fee to help offset the cost of buying paper bags. Businesses also will be required to itemize the number of paper and reusable bags sold on a customer’s receipt, while keeping track of the total number of those bags sold annually over three years.

The ordinance will apply to all Truckee grocery and retail establishments.

Restaurants are excluded from the ordinance, including take-out establishments and any business that receives 90 percent or more of its revenue from the sale of prepared food. Additional exemptions include plastic bags for product packaging; prescription medication from a pharmacy; separation of food or merchandise that could damage or contaminate other items when placed together in a reusable bag; and large items such as tires, dry-cleaning and large-format artwork.

Businesses can file for a six-month extension if they still have a stock of plastic bags by June 1. Each request will be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.